In our Family Portrait
by InnocentTraitor22
Summary: A glimpse into the childhood of Severus and Gypsy Snape, Based of the song Family Portrait by Pink. Disclaimer inside. minor mentions of Abuse, and slight Language


**Hello folks: my newest obsession is my fic, "Do you wanna build a snowman" and have decided to make this it's sequel, based on the song Family Portrait by Pink, I own nothing but my OC Gypsy, Have fun! **

Six year old Gypsy Snape peered out the crack of her bedroom door, a thin stream of light shined through as the sound of shattering china filled the air accompanied by the sounds of angry voices, , carefully opening the door, she trotted out of her room, the clock in the living room chiming ten time to signify it being ten at night. It frightened her when her parent's fought, usually ending up with her mother in a crumpled, sobbing heap on the floor, unaware of the small wide eyes watching her.

Gypsy flinched as another glass broke, she often went down stairs after a fight to comfort whomever was left, the night before last, she told her father Mother didn't mean to say such mean things, to which he replied he was glad she was still pure. Gypsy didn't know why her father hated her big brother and mother so much, nor did she understand why some nights he would come home so late acting funny and mean.

"Dammit Tobias, We have no money! We can't afford to spend money on your drinking binges!" her mother had screamed once in a fight, "I work hard!, I put food on the table! I think I can spend a little money on a pint after work!"

Some of the worst fights were always about her and her brother Severus, those where the scariest.

"I won't have your freak of a son contaminating Gypsy!" yelled, slamming a bible on the table, shaking a whiskey bottle to the floor, "I say we leave on a church step, maybe they will rid him of the devil!"

"He is your SON!" Mrs. Snape protested horrified, "He is no son of mine"

* * *

Once, , Gypsy's primary school teacher took the class to the library, and Gypsy picked up a heavy dictionary, unable to lift it she sat cross-legged and studied the pages, she could read very well for her age and found that one word caught her eye, "War: Noun: A drawn out violent fight between two of more parties, often resulting in the deaths of many," and couldn't help but be reminded of her home, A war between her parents over every thing.

It was then at age five, Gypsy vowed to never get married if it meant having to endure her parent's life.

A little later, Her teacher found her in the aisle and said it was time to go home, much to her dismay, back to the fighting and yelling and broken glass that frightened her so much.

* * *

Often her Mother would leave the house, sometimes to taking Severus and Gypsy with her, dropping them off at the neighbors, the Evan's, or the Library, and leave for hours on end. These times truly scared Gypsy, who often feared that her mother wouldn't come back, no matter how much Severus would tell her to stop being stupid.

At night Gypsy would clap her hands over her ears to block out her fathers yelling, and begged for it to stop, sometimes she like to pretend that her parents still loved each other, but it was impossible. In any case Mrs. Snape couldn't leave just yet, having no job, and two children, in these hard times it just wasn't an option.

On the eve of Gypsy's Sixth birthday, The house, one couldn't call it a home, once again exploded with angry yells and fights. Gypsy ran away form the house in tears, out into the darkening woods, but she did not fear it, The thick tree trunks and wilting branches were her sanctuary, free from anger and hate, and there she stayed until Severus and his friend Lily found her curled in a ball at the mossy base of an oak tree sound asleep.

* * *

One day at school, The teacher told them to draw a picture of their families using the shapes they had learned the previous day. At the chime of the bell, called Gypsy back, " , Is this your picture?" she asked kindly holding up a crayon drawing including a man and a woman, and little boy and an even smaller girl, What stood out how ever was the angry look on the man and the frown on the mother's face the mother's eyes, The little girl had crudely drawn blue lines down her face and the little boy had small purple and blue dots on it's arms and legs.

"Gypsy, can you please tell me a little about your family?" the teacher asked, Gypsy nodded, "Okay, Does your Daddy ever hurt you?" Gypsy's eyes widened as she shook her head furiously, Ms. Simmens nodded understandingly, "Okay, um, does your brother play sports? Rugby, Football, Anything rough where he might have got the bruises?"

Gypsy thought for a few moments, Her father always told her if anyone might ask her if Severus was hurt, just to say he fell down the stairs, unaware of how serious the matter was, gypsy simply replied, "He fell down the stairs" . Ms. Simmens nodded again, "Alright, I have a note here, and I want you to give this to your mummy and daddy, okay?" Gypsy smiled, glad that she didn't ask anymore, and slipped the note in her bag.

* * *

All this, leading up to where we are now dear readers, Little Gypsy Marianne Snape, sneaking out of her room little past midnight, the sound of angry accusations flying in the air, "It's all your fault!" yelled, "My Fault?" Mrs. Snape challenged, "You are the Hard Ass who smacks Severus around!" to reply a stinging slap was delivered, that made Gypsy flinch.

Slowly the child eased open A door and slipped in, on the far side of the room, a lump rose and fell with each breath on a thin mattress that did little to cover the hard floor, "Severus?" she whispered to her ten year old brother, "Severus are you awake?" all the answered was a low grunt as the boy rolled over slightly to glance at his sibling and the fell back over on his face and sighed, "They still at it?" he asked half sleep, Gypsy nodded, not like he could see it though, "Can I stay with you?" she asked meekly. Severus sighed and scooted over slightly to make room, and flipped back the thin cotton sheet that served as a blanket, "Come on then" he grunted and rolled over on his side.

Gypsy crawled on all fours to the bed and slipped in, wiggling closer to her brother to steal some warmth. "You're getting too old for this." He muttered and half hugged his sister, "do you think they'll ever stop?" she asked, "No" He answered with out hesitation, "don't worry, when I get old enough, I'll leave, and I'll take you with me" Gypsy looked up at her much beloved elder sibling, "Promise?" she urged,

"Promise."


End file.
